Of All Things Generic
by It's A Marauder Thing
Summary: While in the Department of Mysteries, Harry and Hermione find themselves hurtled through time. Somehow, they've landed themselves in the 70's. Now they have to handle the Marauders while trying to find a way home.
1. The Time Room

Okay, so, to start: This is going to be exceedingly difficult to write, especially since it's going to be my first fanfiction ever. If you've read the summary, then you know this is a time-travel fic. If you don't like it, leave now. Actually, no, don't. I want you to read and review cuz it's awesome, but if it's not I don't blame you for not doing so. Uhh... next on the agenda: I highly encourage constructive critisism. I'm hoping that with such a large audience somebody will be able to do so effectively. I'm babbling and this taking up a lot of room, so a couple notes and I'm done.

Notes:

I'm in the middle of re-reading the Harry Potter series, and I'm at the end of the fifth book, so the first part is going to be directly out of the book in Harry's P.O.V. It's going to change a little bit and they get sent back in time. The rest of the story will probably be in Hermione's P.O.V. or it will be most of the time. It probably seems like a lot is taken directly from the book, but I was trying to start at a point that would get across their situation while taking as little as possible from the book. I took about four and half pages. Oh well, I tried.

It's almost summer, and I get out on the 14th of June. :D Yay! You would think this would mean I would have more time to work on this story, but alas, it is not so. As I am starting Honor English next year, I have summer homework. I have to write an essay. I'm also at my dad's all week and do not have access to my stories. Also, I might be in a summer theatre program which would restrict the amount of time I have to write. But, if people like this, I might just find the time. :) *wink wink* *nudge nudge*

Writing all this is so much easier than essays. I'm gonna shut up now and let you read.

Disclaimer: As I do not live in Scotland and I am not ingenious enough to write novels 800 pages long, I am not, therefore, J.K. Rowling. Furthermore, I do not own the Harry Potter series, as awesomesauce as that would be.

**Chapter One: The Time Room**

"Come on!" he said again, and leaving the ugly baby-headed Death Eater staggering behind them, they took off for the door that stood ajar at the other end of the room, leading back into the black hallway.

They had run halfway toward it when Harry saw through the open door two more Death Eaters running across the black room toward them. Veering left he burst instead into a small, dark, cluttered office and slammed the door behind them.

"_Collo_-" began Hermione, but before she could complete the spell the door had burst open again and the two Death Eaters had come hurtling inside. With a cry of triumph, both yelled, "_IMPEDIMENTA!_"

Harry, Hermione, and Neville were all knocked backward off their feet. Neville was thrown over the desk and disappeared from view, Hermione smashed into a bookcase and was promptly deluged in a cascade of heavy books; the back of Harry's head slammed into the stone wall behind him, tiny lights burst in front of his eyes, an for a moment he was too dizzy and bewildered to react.

"WE'VE GOT HIM!" yelled the Death Eater nearest Harry, "IN AN OFFICE OFF-"

"_Silencio!_" cried Hermione, and the man's voice was extinguished. He continued to mouth through the hole in his mask, but no sound came out; he was thrust aside by his fellow.

"_Petrificus Totalus!_" shouted Harry, as the second Death Eater raised his wand. His arms and legs snapped together and he fell forward, facedown onto the rug at Harry's feet, stiff as a board and unable to move at all.

"Well done, Ha-"

But the Death Eater Hermione had just struck dumb made a sudden slashing movement with his wand from which flew a streak of what looked like purple flame. It passed right across Hermione's chest; she gave a tiny "oh!" as though of surprise and then crumpled onto the floor where she lay motionless.

"HERMIONE!"

Harry fell to his knees beside her as Neville crawled rapidly toward her from under the desk, his wand held up in front of him. The Death Eater kicked out hard at Neville's head as he emerged- his foot broke Neville's wand in two and connected with his face - Neville gave a howl of pain and recoiled, clutching his mouth and nose. Harry twisted around, his own wand held high, and saw that the Death Eater had ripped off his mask and was pointing his wand directly at Harry, who recognized the long, pale, twisted face from the _Daily Prophet_: Antonin Dolohov, the wizard who had murdered the Prewetts.

Dolohov grinned. With his free hand, he pointed from the prophecy still clutched in Harry's hand, to himself, then at Hermione. Though he could no longer speak his meaning could not have been clearer: _Give me the prophecy, or you get the same as her. . ._

"Like you won't kill us all the moment I hand it over anyway!" said Harry.

A whine of panic inside his head was preventing him thinking properly. He had one hand on Hermione's shoulder, which was still warm, yet did not dare look at her properly. _Don't let her be dead, don't let her be dead, it's my fault if she's dead. . . . _

_ "_Whaddever you do, Harry," said Neville fiercely from under the desk, lowering his hands to show a clearly broken nose and blood pouring down his mouth and chin, "don't gib it to him!"

Then there was a crash outside the door, and Dolohov looked over his shoulder - the baby-headed Death Eater had appeared in the doorway, his head bawling, his great fists still flailing uncontrollably at everything around him.

Harry seized his chance: "_PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!_"

The spell hit Dolohov before he could block it, and he toppled forward across his comrade, both of them rigid as boards and unable to move an inch.

"Hermione," Harry said at once, shaking her as the baby-headed Death Eater blundered out of sight again. "Hermione, wake up. . . ."

"Whaddid he do to her?" said Neville, crawling out from under the desk again to kneel at her other side, blood streaming from his rapidly swelling nose.

"I dunno. . . ."

Neville groped for Hermione's wrist.

"Dat's a pulse, Harry, I'b sure id is. . . ."

Such a powerful wave of relief swept through Harry that for a moment he felt light-headed.

"She's alive?"

"Yeah, I dink so. . . ."

There was a pause in which Harry listened hard for the sounds of more footsteps, but all he could hear were the whimpers and blunderings of the baby Death Eater in the next room.

"Neville, we're not far from the exit," Harry whispered. "We're right next to that circular room. . . . If we can just get you across it and find the right door before any more Death Eaters come, I'll bet you can get Hermione up the corridor and into the lift. . . . Then you could find someone. . . . Raise the alarm. . ."

"And whad are you doing do do?" said Neville, mopping his bleeding nose with his sleeve and frowning at Harry.

"I've got to find the others," said Harry.

"Well, I'b going to find dem wid you," said Neville firmly.

"But Hermione-"

"We'll dake her wid us," said Neville firmly. "I'll carry her - you're bedder at fighding dem dan I ab -"

He stood up and seized one of Hermione's arms, glared at Harry, who hesitated, then grabbed the other and helped hoist Hermione's limp form over Neville's shoulders.

"Wait," said Harry, snatching up Hermione's wand from the floor and shoving it into Neville's hand, "you'd better take this. . . ."

Neville kicked aside the broken fragments of his own wand as they walked slowly toward the door.

"My gran's going to kill be," said Neville thickly, blood spattering from his nose as he spoke, "dat was by dad's old wand. . . . "

Harry stuck his head out of the door and looked around cautiously. The baby-headed Death Eater was screaming and banging into things, toppling grandfather clocks and overturning desks, bawling and confused, while the glass cabinet that Harry now suspected had contained Time-Turners continued to fall, shatter, and repair itself on the wall behind them.

"He's never going to notice us," he whispered. "C'mon . . . keep close behind me. . . ."

Suddenly, the baby-headed Death Eater turned toward them, and Harry felt his chest constrict with fear as he and Neville froze. _Was it possible that his head would return to normal?_ Harry found himself thinking as the baby-headed Death Eater blundered forward toward them. The head began to change. _Well, that answers that question._ thought Harry bitterly as the now normal looking Death Eater raised his wand.

_Move. _he told himself. _Do something. Defend yourself. What's wrong with you?_ As his foot moved forward he found it was too late. The Death Eater croaked out, "_Impedimenta!_"as though he were a frog. It flung Neville, Hermione, and himself backwards into the glass cabinet of broken Time-Turners.

Time seemed to slow down. He felt like he was falling in slow motion. He readied himself for contact with the cabinet, but found instead that he was falling through it. Hermione flew from Neville's shoulders, and her wand fell into an arc with her through the cabinet. Neville, with blood spattering everywhere, landed with a loud and reverberating _Thump!_ against the glass. He felt as though he was looking at Neville through water. Hermione landed next to him, on a very solid stone floor.

Neville's form was slowly sliding into nothingness. They were in the Department of Mysteries, but where had the battle gone? There was no evidence of the destruction they had caused. Small stars flittered in front of his eyes. Hermione lay unconcious beside him. What had happened? How was he supposed to check if the others were okay? What about Sirius? He still had to clue as to where Sirius was. Had this entire thing been a trick to get the prophecy still clutched tightly in his left hand?

He stood up quickly, and became dimly aware that his bag, containing his invisibility cloak and the now useless knife, was still hanging from his shoulders. Next to him, Hermione groaned._ Hermione_. How could he be so stupid? Hermione was still with him, she could help. If he could manage to wake her up and get something coherent out of her. He crouched down next to her and gently shook her shoulder and she groaned again.

"Hermione," Harry said slowly. "Wake up. There's a... er... _problem_." He was relieved when she spoke.

"Harry." she grumbled from her position on the floor. "What did you do _now_?" She tried to sit up, only to give a shuddering gasp and fall back to the floor.

"I don't know. We fell through the cabinet that was breaking and repairing itself. I think it had Time-Turners in it." He looked at her with concern before continuing. "We're still next to it, but it's not broken and no one's here. The battle's gone."

She looked up at him, sweat now mingling with Grawps blood as it trickled down her forehead. "Do you think we went back in time to before the fight?" She implored with labored breath, as she lifted herself to lean against the cabinet, her hands trembling.

Harry reached out and grabbed her arm to steady her. "Are you going to be okay? Do we need to find someone to heal you?"

"No!" She whispered fiercly. "We have to find a way to get out of the Ministry and warn somebody it was a trap! I'll be fine. How we're supposed to sneak out of the Ministry in broad daylight, especially in our condition..." she broke off and turned towards him.

"My backpack!" She looked at him skeptically. "I have my invisibility cloak!" he said happily.

"How're we supposed to get to Hogwarts, even if we do get out of the Ministry undetected? The thestrals won't be there. You'll probably have to levitate me too; how much energy will that take?"

"I can use the levicorpus spell Sirius used on Snape in third year." he assured her. "And we'll just have to risk flooing to the school. Even if Umbridge catches us, what do we have to lose?"

"Everything!" she moaned into her hands. "But I can't think of any other way to get there. Let's try Dumbledore's office though. Just in case."

Harry was surprised, but tried not to show it. Hermione had just agreed to his haphazard plan that was almost garunteed not to work. He decided that she must be_ really _hurt, before asking, "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be." she replied, a pained expression on her face.

"_Mobilicorpus!_"he exclaimed, and Hermione floated into the air, her feet dragging slightly on the ground. She looked as though she were bound by invisible ropes. He levitated her toward him before securing the invisibility cloak over them.

Harry slowly found his way back to the corridor that had haunted so many of his dreams. Hermione was posing more of a strain then he had thought she would, but they were lucky and had not crossed the paths of any Ministry workers. Harry waited by the lifts silently, not wanting them to move as though by nothing. That wasn't suspicious or anything.

Finally, someone came along. Someone he realized he had never seen before, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. Who knew how long he had been sitting there, waiting? He was wasting time. He walked carefully into the rickety lift, suprised that he and the wizard who had called for the gate were the only ones currently occupying it. They arrived at the Atrium.

Harry hurried toward the fireplace. Why was it so empty? He sighed, then hurriedly clapped a hand over his mouth. He was growing careless. The strangely empty Atrium was surprising to him. No one had noticed his slip, as the wizard who had opened the gate had disapparted and the only other person there was a small witch sitting at a desk at what he guessed was the receptionist area.

It was as he was contemplating the best way to grab the floo powder that he noticed the callendar. The calendar that was proudly displaying the date as June 6, 1976. He would have gasped if he had not already been struck dumb in shock. Thinking carefully, he thought again of the best way to approach using the floo powder. Now he had a real urgency for returning to Hogwarts. He needed to see Dumbledore.

Ooo... That's a good spot to leave off at. I'll probably update again in a few days, depending on how long it takes me to write a second chapter. I want to try to make it as long as this one. I have a thing for long chapters. The Mauraders probably won't make an appearance until chapter 3 or 4. Until then I highly recommend that you review and make your questions, comments, and/or concerns known... I'm sorry if the writing style changed too much when I stopped using the book. It won't happen again. The first person to correctly guess why Neville didn't fall through gets to help me think of a prize for them. :D Uhh... yeah. I think I'm done here.


	2. We're From Where?

Okay! So, chapter one, so far, has been a success. xD Yay! This chapter is revised, for _**Blah **_reviewed and gave me a lot of constructive critisism that made sense and helped me to improve. They didn't actually tell me if they liked my story or not, but they really helped me to improve, so I want them to know it was much appreciated. I hope this is better. This chapter will describe a lot of their 'cover story' and what they're changing their appearances too, which I always find boring in stories but it's kinda important. Soooo... Without further ado... Chapter two! (hehe... that rhymed.)

Disclaimer: As I am not rich and famous, and do not possess the originality to imagine an entirely different world from the one I live in, I am not J.K. Rowling. Unfortunately this means I do not own Harry Potter or anyone from his world. (As awesomesauce as that would be.)

Recap of Chapter One: The Time Room

_It was as he was contemplating the best way to grab the floo powder that he noticed the calendar. The calendar that was proudly displaying the date as June 6, 1976. He would have gasped if he had not already been struck dumb in shock. Thinking carefully, he thought again of the best way to approach using the floo powder. Now he had a real urgency for returning to Hogwarts. He needed to see Dumbledore._

Chapter 2: We're from Where?

If he were to just reach out and grab the floo powder, he would have to let Hermione down, right? And if he did that the receptionist (or whoever she was) was bound to notice. But if he just levitated her in before him, he'd still have to say where he was going loudly and clearly.

Obviously she would hear him yelling. Obviously. Where was he going, anyways? Was Dumbledore even Headmaster in the 70's, or was that Dippet? No. He was sure it was Dumbledore. But what if he wasn't even there? It was June 6. The school year was about to end if it hadn't already.

What if a student saw him? He could change something in the timeline! _"The number one rule of timetravel," _Hermione's voice echoed in his head, _"You must not be seen!" _What could he tell Dumbledore? Weren't they in a middle of war here? How was he supposed to know Dumbledore wouldn't just chuck them aside, call them crazy? _He won't._ The voice inside his head said.

His head was spinning. This was too much. He looked over at Hermione, who's neck was lolling to the side. _That looks uncomfortable, _he thought. Harry looked back at the receptionist. How much would it hurt to let Hermione down? _Too many questions_. The voice echoed in his head.

He slumped against the wall and let Hermione down noiselessly. _See. That wasn't so bad. _The voice said. And it was true. The receptionist was still doing who knows what at her desk. _I'll just wait for her to leave. We can go to Dumbledore's office by floo when she does. _He decided. He'd just tell Dumbledore the truth when he got there.

Next to him, Hermione's head jerked and her eyes snapped open. She wore the same pained expression she had when she had first been levitated. _Don't make any noise. Please. Don't make any noise. . . _he thought silently, hoping she would hear his silent pleas.

Hermione groaned, and Harry really wished they knew sign language. He clamped a hand over her mouth when she groaned again and the witch at the desk stood up slowly. Harry realized with relief that the witch was leaving. _Thank Merlin. _he thought.

The witch was short, and wore robes of a deep purple. She walked toward the fireplace they were leaning next to, a new looking briefcase in hand. She was two feet away, at the most. His hand clamped even more tightly onto Hermione's and he felt her lip tremble against his sweaty palm.

_Move. Go home. Don't notice us_. Harry thought desperately as the witch took another step forward and leaned towards them. _This is it. _thought Harry. _She's going to find us._

To his immense relief she grabbed a small handful of powder and threw it into the fire, calling, "24, Fairbrook Lane, London." before stepping into the fireplace and disappearing. Harry released a breath he hadn't noticed he'd been holding in.

"Hermione..." Harry began nervously, looking around just in case he had missed something. "We fell into the past."

Hermione looked at him, and her eyes widened further (if that was possible). "What?" she whispered disbelievingly, her usual calm, brisk manner totally evaporated.

"Look at the callendar if you don't believe me." he said, his voice surprisingly steady.

She did, before turning back towards him, grimacing. "Dumbledore will be at Hogwarts then. Even if terms already ended." She sounded as though each word was hurting her. How bad was the curse.

"So he's Headmaster in the '70s? Do you think he'll believe us?"

"He has to. How else are we supposed to explain the fact you look like James Potter's twin? He's also extremely skilled in legilimency. Right?" Her voice was pleading, as though if he didn't believe them... he didn't want to think about it.

Harry frowned. His dad was here.Siriuswas here. _Sirius. _What was going on in _their_ time? Did it even exist anymore? What was going to happen to them? What about the prophecy he was still holding?

Hermione seemed to be totally out of sync when she said, "We'll need cover stories. Explaining why we're attending Hogwarts in out sixth year for the first time."

"But..." he said slowly. "What do you mean? I thought we weren't supposed to be seen?"

"That's why we'll have to change our appearances. I don't expect Dumbledore to lock us away somewhere. It seems like the type of thing he might do, letting us attend school, I mean." She started to shrug, then she grimaced again. Continuing, she said "Let's go see him then." This wasn't Hermione, was it? She was all about rules. Maybe she wasn't thinking straight.

Harry helped her up and grabbed a handful of floo powder, the prophecy clutched in his left hand and his wand in the pocket of his blood spattered robes. "Headmasters Office, Hogwarts!" Harry said loudly before they were sent on their way in a flurry of green flames.

Hermione's P.O.V.

After telling Harry so assuredly that they would get to attend Hogwarts, she inwardly sighed. How could she be so sure? Her ribs felt broken. What had that curse been? She didn't want to know what the effects would have been if the Death Eater hadn't been silenced. She wanted to scream. But she wouldn't. She had to be strong for Harry. And Harry would be strong for her, right?

She honestly had no idea of anything. Nothing could be certain anymore. Not even their futures. Her brain seemed to pulse into her skull. She felt all the pressure weighing down on her. Her throat was raw and scratchy. It hurt to talk.

_We'll get to Hogwarts and everything will make sense again. _Her self assurances weren't working. She couldn't be so hopeful. Harry leaned over to help her up and she felt her eyes began to water. Ouch.

As they swirled through the flames, she felt warmed. Until she landed on her back in Dumbledore's office. _Real smooth. _She thought to herself, tears falling from her face as she squeezed her eyes shut. She tried, unsuccessfully, to sit up. With a loud groan she opened her eyes to find her future (past, depending on how you looked at it) Headmaster staring down at her, concerned. She didn't want to think about her situation. She just wanted the pain to go away.

He spoke, slowly and carefully, his usually twinkling eyes full of something else. Fear? She did not know. "It's curious. Curious, how two students dressed in Hogwarts robes have arrived in my office, two days after end of term, covered in blood." he looked over at Hermione. "You are injured." He said simply. "And I do not recognize either of you."

Hermione sighed before speaking. "We're." She paused. Her voice was rough and scratchy. Could he hear her? "We're from the future." She croaked, groaning again.

"The future? I presume you did not come here intentionally?" Dumbledore inquired gently, his eyes still full of concern. "Nevermind that now." he said, as Hermione tried to speak again. "It was a rheotorical question. You need to be healed."

Harry explained everything that had happened after she had been sent to the hospital wing. Umbridge, Dumbledore's disappearance, the Centaurs, Grawp and Hagrid, the prophecy, the purple flame that had harmed Hermione, and finally, the glass cabinet of what they thought was Time-Turners. She thought Harry unwise to reveal so much, but perhaps it was necessary.

She was sure it would concern her more later, but right now it was hard to deal with. Her chest felt as though it was on fire. She felt cracked and broken, listening to Dumbledore explain how they were going to proceed with their _situation_.

Dumbledore still looked as concerned as she was, but his twinkle was slowly returning. "You can change your appearances and act as exchange students when term begins in September. While Ms. Granger recovers in the hospital wing I will find a family for you to stay with for the summer. I'd try to think of names if I were you. " Dumbledore said with a tone of finality. "Do try and blend in. Only Madam Pomfrey and myself can know of when you are really from. You will be able to retrieve everything you will need in Diagon Alley."

"But sir." Harry began, before he was cut off.

"Mr. Potter, I have faith in your abilities. Or I will." He laughed in a bitter way Hermione had never heard from him in previous encounters. Then he turned to face both of them. "May I suggest the Wizarding school located under the Acropolis in Greece? They have been recently attacked, so no students will have to leave. It may look suspicious otherwise if two students come to the school in an exchange program and no one leaves to attend another school." His voice was suddenly light and airy, as though he were talking about the weather.

"About your predicament..." he started. " I would like to see the prophecy, Mr. Potter." His tone had changed. It was harder, more demanding. He was taking the situation into hand. "I want to see what I can find from it. Also, over the summer I would like you to do research. The less time that is spent in the past the better."

Then he left, after he told them to consider their situation before they acted while they were in the time period, as a warning. He also asked them to think of names. Something that wasn't too similar to the ones they had in the future.

"Catherine." she said immediately after he left, turning (painfully) to face Harry. "Catherine Puckle."

"Puckle?" Harry inquired, his face contorting oddly as he tried not to laugh. He snorted.

"Yes. Puckle. It was my mother's maiden name." she said lightly. "What about you?"

He stopped trying to surpress his laughs and furrowed his brow in concentration. After a moments silence he said, "I dunno. Something Greek?" He turned towards her. "Help me out?'

She sighed and glared at him before considering it. A minute later she replied. "Spiropoulis. That's the only Greek name I can think of. Try to think of your own first name, you have to answer to it."

"Nathan." he said almost immediately. "Nathan Spiropoulis. This is going to take some getting used to." he sighed too, like she had done moments before.

She would have to spend at least a week recovering in the hospital wing, taking ten potions a day, until she was fully healed. She laid down and closed her eyes. She needed to rest. It had been a long day.

A week later...

Sitting next to each other on Hermione's recently vacated bed, the two time travellers waited in borrowed Hogwarts robes for Dumbledore to change their appearances.

So far she felt as though she was fitting into the '70s well, but she had only interacted with Madam Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore, so she couldn't really be right, could she? How was Harry coping? He was going to be in the same year as his parents, and Sirius. Had he even realized?_ Don't be stupid. _she told herself._ Of course he's realized_.

She sighed. She had asked Dumbledore how long they were going to be here, and he evaded giving her a straight answer. He didn't even know how they had arrived here, so he was as perplexed as she was. They were probably going to be here for a while. She didn't want to think about if they _didn't_ return. She couldn't deal with it. She shuddered.

Harry turned towards her. "You okay?" he whispered. He was probably having difficulties in the past too. Who wouldn't? It was a lot of pressure.

Dumbledore arrived, smiling. Why was he smiling? She sighed as her Headmaster pointed his wand at Harry. They were going to be Greeks.

He didn't say an incantation as he waved his wand, but Harry's appearance changed, nonetheless. His unruly hair flattened and lightened to a dark brown. His startling emerald eyes were suddenly a deep brown. His skin darkened to a tan olive color that she had only ever seen on her Italian third-cousin. His face was rounder, but longer.

He looked like a true Greek. He turned towards her, grinning. She smiled back meekly.

It was her turn.

The nonverbal incantation was cast upon her and she couldn't feel anything happening to herself. Then she looked in the mirror. She saw now why Harry might've been grinning. She looked so much prettier.

But now she was confused. Harry had always looked _good_. Why would he be happy to look so different? She was a different story, she had always been the bookworm with frizzy, unmanageable hair and overly large front teeth. She never thought appearances were that important to Harry.

Maybe he was happy to be in the past? But why should he feel less pressured? Now he might be changing the timeline. The entire future as they knew it could be changed. Was he thinking of her? Smiling all the time to make her feel more at ease? Urgh! She was usually good at dealing with feelings.

Her teeth were the same as when she had them shrunk in fourth year. Now, though, she had the same olive tan skin as her cousin and 'Nathan'. Her eyes were a dark grey, an analyzing grey, that gave her an aura of intelligence.

Her normally bushy honey-colored hair was dark and cascaded over her shoulders in sleek, shining waves. Her hair was so soft, too. She found herself grinning genuinely back at Harry. Maybe she would like the seventies. Or maybe her new identity would allow her to reinvent herself. But did she really want to? Why did she have to think so much?

Dumbledore was regarding them happily. "I think we should do another spell. So that the two of you can speak Greek and communicate with each other. It would also make it easier to follow you're cover stories."

The two teenagers looked at each other before nodding slowly. Suddenly Harry spoke up. "Do you think you could let us know sign language too?"

Dumbledore nodded before he raised his wand again, and this time, Hermione felt _different._ She could see the Greek words swimming in her mind. She knew how to spell and speak and write sentences in Greek. Her fingers twitched and different signs flew in front of her eyes too. How cool was that?

Dumbledore spoke again. "Now, I think the two of you should venture to Diagon Alley. You have items to purchase, and the family you will be living with for the Summer is expecting you tomorrow at noon."

Harry replied. "What are we supposed to pay with?"

"Ahh... I believe this should suffice. Feel free to pick a few books on your_ predicament_, if you should find any. " and he held out a small bag with wizard gold filling it out towards them. Hermione tentively took it from him.

Later, after they had traveled around Diagon Alley in an uneventful afternoon, Harry and Hermione were sitting across from each other on the hospital bed Hermione would only have to sleep in for one more night.

"Nathan." she began. Harry quirked an eyebrow. "What? We need to get used to it!" she said indignantly. He laughed. "If I had to fall through time, I'm glad you came with me." she averted her eyes to look down at the bedspread.

"_Catherine_." Harry began teasingly. "I feel exactly the same as you do." His features softened as they looked up at each other. "Your new eyes kind of scare me, though."

They both laughed together before climbing into bed. Hermione, though Harry had lightened the mood, so to speak, couldn't help but dwell again on the consequences of their being in the past. _But Harry seems so happy_. she thought despairingly to herself.

What she didn't know was Harry was thinking the same thing in the bed besides hers.

Okay! So, the next chapter will bring the arrival of at least one of the Mauraders! (Applause Please) So, same thing. Please review! :) Leave comments, questions, and/or concerns. I love constructive critisism. So far, nobody had figured out why Neville isn't back in time with them. Think hard, use your brains.

Special Thanks to those who reviewed.

Review please and thank you!


	3. We're Really Staying Here?

Here we go with one of my ridiculously long Author's Notes. Umm... to start, I still don't know if I really captured Hermione's character or not.

Um... The story is really going to start becoming interesting within the next few chapters, mostly because the Maurader's are going to be added into the mix. :D This chapter is actually going to start out in Sirius' P.O.V.

The last chapter didn't really have the right feel, if you know what I mean, so I hope this chapter comes out better.

Thank you so much, whoever reviewed. Have fun reading. I hope you like it. :)

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter. Blah Blah Blah...

Recap of Chapter Two: We're From Where?

_"Nathan." she began. Harry quirked an eyebrow. "What? We need to get used to it!" she said indignantly. He laughed. "If I had to fall through time, I'm glad you came with me." she averted her eyes to look down at the bedspread._

_"Catherine." Harry began teasingly. "I feel exactly the same as you do." His features softened as they looked up at each other. "Your new eyes kind of scare me, though."_

_They both laughed together before climbing into bed. Hermione, though Harry had lightened the mood, so to speak, couldn't help but dwell again on the consequences of their being in the past. But Harry seems so happy. she thought despairingly to herself._

_What she didn't know was Harry was thinking the same thing in the bed besides hers._

Chapter 3: We're Really Staying Here?

Sirius P.O.V.

"Who are they? Have you ever seen them before?" He paused. "Moony!"

The sandy-haired boy sitting across from him replied, "Who Padfoot? What are you talking about?"

"Those two teens over there! Walking out of Madam Malkin's. Have you ever seen them at Hogwarts before?"

"No."

"That's it? No? Don't you want to know who they are?"

"They're probably ahead of us." James interjected.

"No. They can't be! We've dedicated ourselves to knowing_ everybody _in the school. I'm sure I would remember them."

Moony sighed. "Maybe they don't go to our school."

Sirius let out a loud, frustrated growl. "They just walked out with Hogwarts robes! Of course they go to our school!"

James looked between the two of them, before saying, "Who cares where they go? The girl is cute."

"What about Evans?" Their short friend Wormtail inquired quietly from beside them.

"You know Evans is my number one. I'm just making an observation."

"An _accurate_ observation. " Sirius added, licking his butterbeer ice cream. He changed the subject as the two tanned teens turned in the direction of Flourish and Blotts. "When are we going to your house this summer, James? I personally want to stay for the entirety of the summer, but I'll take what I can get."

"Mum doesn't know yet. For however long your parents let you, I guess. But not until the first of July, we have to make room for some guests we're having for the summer."

"Guests? What kind of guests?" Wormtail questioned, tilting back in his chair slightly.

"I don't know. Mum says it's a 'surprise'. I'm not sure why it's such a big deal though." His brow furrowed at the thought. "They're coming tomorrow." He looked at Sirius and raised his eyebrows. "Who do you think's staying with us?"

"How the hell would I know?" He replied, as his ice cream slid off the cone and onto the ground with a _plop_! "Dammit. I paid a Galleon for that."

"No. _I_ paid a Galleon for that." Said Moony from where he was eating his own ice cream. His was chocolate.

"Who cares who paid for it? It's still a waste of a Galleon!"

Moony sighed and muttered something under his breath that sounded distinctly like _"moron". _

Sirius barked out a laugh and leaned back, relaxed, into his chair. Today was a good day. He hadn't seen his family since that morning and hopefully, he wouldn't be seeing them very often for the rest of the summer either.

Hermione's P.O.V.

Hermione's eyelids hurt. Her eyes were closed, yet she wasn't seeing black, but more of a yellow color. It took her a minute to figure out it was the sun slanting though her hangings and directly onto her face.

She rolled over and buried her head into her pillow. That was better. Then someone started shaking her.

"Hermione, you need to get up. I thought you were a morning person?"

It was Harry.

"You're supposed to call me Catherine." she grumbled from where her head was still buried in the pillow.

"Yeah, well..." he paused, trying to think of something to say. "Just get up, okay?"

She turned to lie on her back. Harry was standing next to her bed, fully dressed in muggle clothing, looking expectantly at her.

"You look ridiculous." she noted. How had the clothes from the '70s ever been in style? "What time is it?"

"9. We're supposed to be there by noon." he answered anxiously. "And I happen to_ like _these clothes."

"I'm fashion-challenged and even _I _don't like them." she retorted, resting her head back against the pillow and closing her eyes.

"See? You're fashion-challenged. Of course you don't like them. Are you going to get up now?"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"Why ever not, Catherine?"

She glared at him. "Because I'm tired? I thought that was why people stayed in bed."

"I thought it was because they were lazy." Harry retorted.

"Go away."

"No." he said triumphantly.

Agitated, she pulled back the crisp sheets of the hospital wing bed and stood up quickly. "I'm up! I'm up! _Now_ will you go away?"

"Yes siree!" he replied happily, turning on his heel and strolling toward his trunk. She pulled the hangings together and hurriedly dressed in her equally horrendous muggle clothing. Her mouth tasted bitter.

She walked to her own trunk, grabbed her toothbrush, and headed for the bathroom. As an after thought, she turned around and plucked her hairbrush out of her trunk too.

When she arrived in the bathroom she found it was unneccesary. Even after sleeping on her face, her hair was perfect. It wasn't standing on end, it was not frizzy, and in no way, shape, or form in disarray. Did all Greeks have hair this great?

She hurriedly brushed her teeth, (Her parents were dentists after all) and washed her face before returning to pack her trunk completely. As she had only had her belongings for a day, very few things had circulated the room. She found a couple of books and parchment lying around, but that was the extent of belongings gone astray.

Now she had bigger things to deal with. She still didn't know which wizarding family they were staying with, but she had a sneaking suspicion that Dumbledore was going to put them with the Potters'. Didn't he realize what a big risk that would be?

She tried to communicate her frustrations and concerns to Harry, but he was ecstatic at the thought of possibly living with his father. _This isn't going to end well._ she thought unhappily. _Did Dumbledore think this through?_

Harry came bounding up to her, obviously excited. She didn't want him to become attached. How was she supposed to tell him that? In Greek in front of other people where he couldn't yell at her without sounding like a lunatic? Yeah, that sounded good. She'd have to think about that.

"Where do you think we're going?"

"I already told you." she replied, annoyed.

"Er... I guess you did." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck, looking at her awkwardly.

"When are we leaving; we're not supposed to be there until noon."

He looked at his watch. "It's 9:30. We leave at 11: 58." he looked up at her, looking sheepish.

She raised a delicately arched eyebrow in question._ She could've slept in... _She shook her head and opened her trunk, deciding on a book about time travel. She collapsed onto her bed and began to read.

She became submersed in the text, but nothing seemed that useful. Time travel was, as it would be in the future, an enigma. No one really knew how it worked, but she had read many theories about time paradox's being created. She was getting nowhere.

"Hermione... er... uh... Catherine?" she looked up, eyes slightly glazed. Had she been reading that long?

"Is it noon already?"

"Just about. . ." Harry trailed off, looking slightly glazed over himself. What was he thinking about?

Sighing, she stood up. She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. Dumbledore swept into the room. She followed him over to the fireplace. "Godric's Hollow!" He shouted, before ushering the two of them forward hastily, trunks in hand.

She was engulfed in flames. Everything swirled in front of her and she felt lost. Then Harry came flying out behind her. As they landed in the fireplace of Godric's Hollow she felt the sensation of lost footing and tumbled forward. In other words, Harry plowed into her and she landed spectacularly on her ass. She looked up to find none other than James Potter laughing at her mercilessly.

James' P.O.V.

His parents told him to get up and clean his room around 10. There were clothes _everywhere._ Not to mention all his Zonko's stuff. Why should he have to clean his room if they had _guest _rooms?

He did it grudgingly before getting dressed, being careful to throw his dirty clothes in the 'proper place'.

Then he went downstairs to eat. His mum could give the house elves at Hogwarts a run for their nonexistent wages. He decided that while he was eating his kippers was as good a time as any to ask them.

"Why aren't I allowed to know who these guests are?"

"Because, sweetheart." his mum replied calmly. "It's a surprise!"

He raised his eyebrows. "But I want to know _now_!"

"Don't whine." his father admonished.

"They'll be coming any moment dear. We'll explain everything then." His mum added gently. "Now finish up. We should wait by the fireplace."

James stood up and walked over to the fireplace, his eggs only half eaten. His mum cleared off the table and sat down gracefully at the chair located right next to their fire. He leaned against the wall, waiting.

The flames turned green and he felt himself swell with anticipation. Who should stumble out but the girl from Diagon Alley? Then she landed on her ass and he couldn't control himself.

He burst out laughing. Hadn't she ever used floo before? That was sad. Then the boy came tumbling after her and he laughed harder. He was practically rolling on the floor before his mum gave him 'the look'.

Why had he found that so funny?

He could find no reason. He just needed entertainment.

Then he thought about the situation. He was going to be living with the cute girl for the summer. But why were they here in the first place? His mum started talking as he slumped against the wall, regaining his breath.

"James," she began, "This," she pointed to the girl who was now standing up, "is Catherine Puckle and this," she pointed to the boy helping her up, "is Nathan Spiropoulis. They'll be living with us for the summer as part of an exchange program."

"What exchange program? Someone left Hogwart?"

His mum looked nervously around. "Well. . . not exactly."

He raised his eyebrows as she continued. "Well, you see, their school was attacked. So no one can really go to their school because the Ministry won't allow it."

Dumbledore was appearing through the fire. "What school did they go to?"

Dumbledore answered. "The school under the Acropolis. Athens School for Witches and Wizards. It was attacked by Death Eaters in early June. They will have to take their O.W.L.s this summer as their exams were interrupted."

James didn't know what the Acropolis was, but he knew that Athens was in Greece. How did he know that though? Oh... that's right. Moony told him about it. Actually, now that he thought about it, he mentioned that school a couple times. Or maybe that was what the conversation had been about? He needed to listen more. Like that was going to happen.

Then he laughed. "They have to take their O.W.L.s over the summer?"

"James." his mother interjected. "Can you show them to their rooms while Professor Dumbledore and I have a cup of tea?"

"Do I have too?" he whined.

"Yes." his mum stated firmly.

"Follow me." he mumbled, waving his hand in the general direction of the bedrooms.

Okay. So, that was chapter 3. At least one more Marauder will make an appearance in the next chapter. I want at _**least**_ 30 reviews before I update again, so if you know anyone who might be interested in it, please tell them about it. Thanks to all who reviewed. xD


	4. Suspicions

Authors Note: We have a winner! xD **proudtobeatheatrekid** correctly guessed the reason Neville did _not_ fall through the glass cabinet of Time Turners, and wins an undecided prize! Yay! The reason Neville didn't fall through too is because he had never used a Time Turner before, therefore he had never travelled through time and space the same way Harry and Hermione had. Does that make sense?

Enough of my rambling. Without further ado, chapter four!

**Disclaimer:** I am not J.K. Rowling, and furthermore, I do not own Harry Potter.

Recap of Chapter 3:

_"James." his mother interjected. "Can you show them to their rooms while Professor Dumbledore and I have a cup of tea?"_

_"Do I have too?" he whined._

_"Yes." his mum stated firmly._

_"Follow me." he mumbled, waving his hand in the general direction of the bedrooms._

Chapter Four: Suspicions

Harry's P.O.V.

This was it. He was meeting his father in person. He wasn't technically his father _yet_, but that didn't mean he couldn't be excited about meeting him. Right? Plus, it was in the house he would've grown up in, if it wasn't for Voldemort.

Voldemort. The reason he was in this mess, back in time. Meeting his father. Merlin. He was meeting his father. Meeting his _grandparents_. He knew he was, the moment Dumbledore said Godric's Hollow. And here he was.

Meeting his family. Well, not really. He was standing there, watching them dumbly from in front of the fire place, not listening. But he was there, and they were there. They were together, and would be for the summer.

Whether they knew they were family or not. He did, and that was what mattered. But what if his father hated his guts? He was a bully, at least to Snape. He didn't want to be targeted by his father of all people.

Oh, and the Maruaders! What if they hated him when they met? They had to meet, right? His head was starting to hurt; his heart was pounding. His father was right there, looking bored, but still. He was _there._ For the first time in his life.

He was determined. His father would like him. They would bond. He would be there. They could have conversations. Harry breathed in deeply. Next to him, Hermione reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

She was here too. He kept forgetting he wasn't alone in this... _venture_. He squeezed her hand back. Then he noticed his father was talking.

"Follow me." James muttered with a wave of his hand.

He glanced over at Hermione and she nodded gently. They moved to follow him, and Hermione squeezed his hand again before letting go. He was going to see what would've been his home.

James' P.O.V.

He looked behind him on the way to the stairs, just to make sure the mysterious guests were following him. They were holding hands. Or it looked like they had been. As quickly as he saw it, they weren't. What the bloody hell?

Shaking his head slightly, he motioned to the first bedroom.

"Guest room number one. This is where... er... Catherine, was it? This is going to be your room for the school year." Great. He couldn't even remember her name. She was going to think he was pathetic.

"For the school year?" the girl, _Catherine,_ he scolded himself, inquired.

"Yeah. During holidays and stuff, you can come here." That's what his mother had said, right? Whatever. He could talk to her about it later.

"Oh." She said quietly. Like she was shocked or something. Didn't they know all this already? "Can I look around?"

"No one's stopping you."

She moved forward tentatively, and the boy stayed at the door frame, eyes wide. What was the big deal? It was just a house.

He took the time she was examining her room to examine her.

She was, for lack of a better word, hot. Not in the same way as Lily Evans either. Evans had a feiry-ness about her. Catherine smoldered. Maybe it was because she was Greek, or maybe it wasn't. How the hell was he supposed to know? She had curves and flawless tanned skin. Perfect hair. She was lean too. Merlin, he sounded like a girl. Usually he would just leave it at hot. Unless he was talking about Evans. He enjoyed talking about Evans.

So what was different about the exchange student? She was... different. Culturally. And she was a mystery. He knew most things about the girls at Hogwarts. Which ones liked him. _All of them_. Which ones were stupid. Which ones were taken. Which ones were ugly. The hot ones. The first years. The older women. Everyone. She was the unknown. He hadn't figured her out yet.

But he was going to. Perhaps with the help of his fellow Marauders, perhaps not. He hadn't thought that far ahead yet.

"On to the next room?" he questioned as the girl trailed her fingers on the comforter.

She nodded distractedly and they were off.

Hermione's P.O.V.

Hermione looked around what was going to be her room. It was decorated in purple. The comforter, the hangings, the curtains to a beautiful bay window. The room was furnished with a wardrobe, a night stand, and a polished mahogany desk. The desk already had parchment, quills, and ink ready to be used. She looked at the beige walls. It was cozy, and reminded her of her mother's room at home.

She missed her mum. She didn't see here nearly enough, and being in the past during summer killed her. This was the only time they had together, and she wasn't there. For all she knew, the wizarding world of her time thought that she and Harry had died. How were her parents supposed to deal with that?

She should be getting ready to go on vacation. Hermione had missed their vacation that Christmas. Skipped skiing to stay in the wizarding world. And look what had happened.

She wanted to be in Paris, or Greece, or somewhere with them. Not here.

She trailed her fingers longingly against the comforter of what was now her bed. She wanted home, familarity. Not this.

She nodded as James asked to move on, and walked distractedly towards the door. This time Harry was the one to gently squeeze her hand, as they continued to his room.

It continued like this for the rest of the 'tour'. One of them would get all emotional about something they thought of, so the other half would give silent signs of reassurement.

James' P.O.V.

They had been pratically groping for each other's hands all throughout the 'tour' and he was sick and tired of it! Did they think he didn't notice? It was sickening! Simply disgusting and he had had enough!

He stormed off to his room as the exchange students went to talk to his parents about some details concerning the exchange program.

He let the door close loudly behind him and strode purposefully towards his unpacked trunk. He rummaged around for a few moments before finding what he had been looking for. Ah... yes. The mirror. James needed to have a little chat with his dear friend Sirius, and this was just the way to do it.

He pulled his wand out of his robes and tapped his reflection in the mirror, reciting the name of his best friend.

"What's up mate?" Sirius said, popping into view.

"You know those two teens you same walking out of Madam Malkin's the other day in Diagon Alley?" James questioned.

"Yeah. The girl was hot." he looked at James through the mirror with a wistful expression on his face. "Why? What about them?"

"You know how we're having guests at my house this summer?" Sirius opened his mouth to reply but he was interrupted.

"JAMES!" his mother screeched up the stairs at him. "COME DOWNSTAIRS, NOW!"

"I have to go mate. I'll tell you everything later." Sirius raised his eyebrow and attempted to talk again.

"Jam-" he started.

"Not now! Your going to get me in trouble! Later, okay?"

Sirius nodded lamely as his friend's face melted away on the surface of the mirror.

James, now agitated, walked down the stairs to the kitchen begrudgingly. When he arrived in the kitchen, he found his parents pacing back and forth next to the table and the two exchange students sitting at the table, whispering to each other urgently in Greek.

He cleared his voice and they immediately stopped whispering. He flopped into a chair and crossed his arms over his chest, looking expectantly at his now stationary parents. "What is it?" he questioned.

His parents exchanged looks, but, Nelson, was it? Nelson started talking before either of them could open their mouths.

"Do you have any notes we could use to study for our O.W.L.s?" he inquired in a quiet voice from across the table.

That was what his parents were all worried about? Did they think he was going to say no? Like they would let him.

"Yeah. That it?" He turned towards his parents again.

"No." his father started slowly. "No, er... we wondering, no, wait."

"We want you to help them study for it." his mother cut in. "And until you do and they've finished their exams, we don't want any of your friends over."

"Remus was going to come in two weeks. How long do they need to study? Weren't they in the middle of exams when their school was attacked?" he said, his agitation growing.

"Dumbledore set the date of out O.W.L.s for two weeks from now. It's going to take a couple days. Your friend, Remus was it? Remus will only be delayed a week." the girl answered. "Right?" she questioned his parents.

His mum nodded. "As for Peter, his parents won't let him come until later in the summer, and we haven't talked to the Blacks' yet."

James mood continued to worsen. He didn't know if he was going to be able to see his best mate all summer. Why was he being so angsty? This was not his usual style. Everything he was feeling would blow over by tomorrow.

"So can I go now?" he said harshly.

"Yes. We're having dinner soon though, so don't become too distracted." his mum replied lightly.

He stood apruptly and started to walk towards the door. Dinner? More like a late lunch. He reached his room and closed the door behind him, grabbing the mirror and tapping it with his wand for the second time that day.

"Sirius?"

"What was that all about earlier?" Sirius said confusedly as his head rippled into veiw.

"Those teens, the ones we didn't recognize, are staying at my house for the summer." he said unhappily.

"Wait. Who are they?" Sirius asked, his eyebrows furrowing together as he was further confused.

"Exchange students from Greece." he said. "I have to help them study for their O.W.L.s before any of you guys can come over."

"What! Why?" said Sirius indignantly.

"Because my mum said so. You know what I noticed, mate?" James replied resignedly.

"You know, you aren't acting yourself." Sirius said off-handedly.

"That's exactly what I noticed!" he cried. "It's like all of a sudden I'm angsty and mad at the world! What the hell happened?"

"Maybe it's like what your dad says about crying. Like, you have to be angsty and mad at the world today because you haven't been in that state in forever." He shrugged. "You know your dad's philosophy."

"Crying is one of those things you do once a year just to get it over with." James recited. "Yeah, your right. I'll be myself again by tomorrow."

"Now that we have your... ahem... issues... sorted out, can you tell me more about the exchange program?" his friend transitioned.

"Oh. Well, nobody Hogwarts is even going to there school so it's not much of an exchange program if you ask me." James said, examining his fingernails.

"Why wouldn't anyone go to their school?"

"Because their school was attacked by Death Eaters in the middle of exams, which is why they have to take their O.W.L.s at my house. I don't understand why they need my notes though." he paused. "I think Dumbledore let them come anyways because he wanted them to be safe this year or something."

"We're going to have a war or something before we graduate, I'm telling you." Sirius said in an actually serious tone, for once. "This whole exchange program seems suspicious if you ask me. You should try to find something out about them, background information. See if they check out ok."

"Dumbledore trusts them. Plus, they're our age. What do you think they'd be doing?" James countered.

"Have you met my family? There's all kinds of Dark magic they could be doing." said Sirius. "Just try to find something out about them. Okay?"

"Yeah. I'll see what I can find out during dinner." James agreed. "Speaking of, I think that's my mum calling. If I find out anything, I'll let you know."

The mirror cleared and he made his way back towards the kitchen again. Once there he found everyone already sitting at the food covered table, waiting for him. He sat down next to the girl, and was the first person to reach for food.

Time to start interrogating.

Harry's P.O.V.

His father was acting like an egotistical toe rag. The tour had been okay. James had led them around, acting bored. But later, when they had asked him about O.W.L.s he had been strangely sour and full of himself. And it irked Harry.

His father was supposed to be a good person. He was supposed to accept Harry into the home with open arms like his grandparents had. He was supposed to prove Snape wrong.

So far, he was failing miserably.

He sighed, and reached for a roll, thinking back to the conversation he and Hermione had with his grandparents.

They knew everything. Well, not everything. They knew that he was their grandson and he was from the future, but not much else. They knew more than anyone else was going to, including the teachers at Hogwarts. Only four people besides Harry and Hermione knew what had happened.

Madam Pomfrey was one. She had to heal them before they had changed their appearances, so it was a given. She was trustworthy.

Professor Dumbledore was another. But that much was obvious.

And then there was his grandparents, Miranda and Derek Potter. They knew because they were housing him, and so they could stop James from asking too many questions, at least for the summer.

During the conversation with the Potter's, they had decided on background stories, if anyone bothered to ask. They figured out why they wouldn't have their own notes to study for the O.W.L.s, why James had to help them. And they had decided how they were supposed to lay low in the Hogwarts student body.

Hermione, while still completing assignments with her usual vigor, would rarely answer questions in class. Harry would not be on the Quidditch team. They would try to be social outcasts while still completing their sixth year of wizarding education.

It didn't seem like much fun. How they were supposed to act like they _didn't_ know their way around the school, he didn't know.

The one kink they hadn't really figured out was the Marauder's Map, which was certain to show their real names. They had yet to mention this to Dumbledore.

Hermione sat across from him at the dinner table, as they prepared for the interrogation that was sure to come from James.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I know I asked for at least 30 reviews before I updated, and I got them. But I was still a little disappointed that after all the people that read my story I didn't get any more than I asked for. I kind of have this fantasy where I have over 100 reviews and everyone's, like, "How'd ya do that?". So it would be much appreciated if you took the time to leave a comment, a question, a concern, or a critism. I'm hoping to get a total of 50 for my entire story, overall, this chapter. Thanks you so much for reading!

(In the next chapter or two I'm hoping to introduce some of the other Marauders into the Potter home, just so you know.)


	5. Interrogations and Revelations

Author's note: New poll for the story in my profile. Check it out. I changed the spelling of Hermione's name, and I was too lazy to go back and change it. xD

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, as awesomesauce as that would be.

Recap of Chapter Four:

_Hermione sat across from him at the dinner table, as they prepared for the interrogation that was sure to come from James. _

Chapter Five: Interrogations and Revelations

**At Dinner**

Miranda Potter's P.O.V.

Her husband looked at their son piling food onto his plate skeptically before turning to look at her in question. James was adored by them. He was their only child, and they had him fairly... late... in life. They dotted on him; gave him exactly what he wanted. How could they not? Until they met Nathan, or Harry as they had recently heard, they had thought they were to never have grandchildren. James had his eyes set on Lily Evans.

And they thought there was no way she was going to give into him. How glad they had been when they had found out they were wrong. They had a grandchild.

She sighed and shook her head, smirking at Derek slyly. Her James had disregarded their guests and was dining as though it were his friends. She was quite fond of the group her son had decided to partake in. It was like having more than just one child. More people to mother.

Miranda turned to look at Katherine. The girl who had been befriended by her grandson. She wasn't sure how she felt about her yet. She had immediately taken to 'Nathan', and the two time-travellers were obviously close, but their was something about her that she couldn't place. It wasn't neccesarily a_ bad _aura, but it was uncomfortable. She didn't belong here. But then again, she thought, neither did Harry.

She reached for the potatoes and looked up to watch what was to transpire between her son and their guests.

James' P.O.V.

After filling my plate with my mothers delicious cooking, I prepared myself for the interrogation I was planning. First, was Neil.

"So, Neil, how old are you?" he started.

"It's Nathan." he replied, before putting a forkful of potatoes in his mouth.

"Right. That's what I said. How old are you?" James repeated in what he knew came off as nonchalant.

"I turn 16 on the 31st of July." He answered. "What about you?"

"I turned 16 on the 27th of March." James replied, deeply satisfied that he was older than their 'guest'. He turned towards Katherine. "You?" he questioned.

She swallowed the pumpkin juice she had been sipping before replying, "September 19, 1959. I turn 17 at the beginning of the school year."

James' eyes widened in surprise. She was going to be allowed to apparate before anybody else in their year! Before him. He was dismayed that the older women would get the perks of being a legal wizard before he would be able to. He couldn't show off in front of her. But there was still Evans.

"Who are your parents? Like, are you half-blood, pureblood, muggleborn?"

The two guests glanced at each other before answering. "I'm a half-blood." Nelson replied.

"I'm muggleborn." Katherine answered.

"Cool." he answered. "Do you know what a felly fone is?"

They looked at each other and Katherine snorted. "Yes, we know what a _telephone_ is." She didn't elaborate. James plowed on.

"Are you related?" he questioned, hopeful that they were.

"No." Katherine said. James changed the subject.

"When did you decide you wanted to do the Exchange Program? I didn't even know there was one!" he said with fasle cheeriness.

"It's only offered to certain individuals the Headmaster of the school thinks would benefit from it. I don't know who was supposed to come from your school, though." Katherine replied carefully.

"I guess it doesn't matter though. Our school isn't fit for any new students." Nathan added.

"Why isn't it fit? The Death Eaters left, didn't they?" James questioned, happy to be on the topic he really wanted to talk about.

They looked at each other before Katherine responded. Was it just him, or was she doing most of the talking? "Not many Headmasters want students from their schools going to a place that wasn't strong enough to keep Death Eaters at bay. We're lucky Professor Dumbledore even allowed us to come. I can't imagine how Nathan would've been able to deal with this summer."

"What'd you mean deal with this summer?" This was starting to confuse him. What had this Nelson kid done?

"His parents were attacked before the school. They were murdered and Ha_... Nathan_ found out the day we were attacked. I don't understand why they bothered attacking all the way in Greece if this war is based here. Needless to say, Nathan didn't have much to come home to." She frowned, looking at Nathan, who's eyes were holding back tears.

Nathaniel breathed in deeply before saying, "I need the distraction."

James was about to stop interrogating them, when he noticed something. "How'd you get that scar?" James pointed rudely to the lightning bolt on Harry's forehead.

He glared darkly at James. "I got it during the Death Eater attack."

James decided that it might be best to stop, though he wasn't thouroughly convinced they weren't up to something.

Harry's P.O.V.

_My father can't even be bothered to learn my fake name._ Harry despaired. At the moment, he was contemplating his father's expression as Hermione explained the story they had come up with. They had figured if they said his parents had died no one would question why he looked so depressed if he had trouble controlling his emotions.

Living with his father wasn't as fulfilling as he thought it was going to be. He kept thinking about what living here would've been like, had his parents lived. He had always assumed they were great people, but his father didn't seem to be anything more than an arrogant toe rag. Snape's memory had proved what a bully he could be.

He kind of wanted Fred and George to be here now. They could make them laugh, without humilating anyone in the process, except maybe Umbridge... He missed the future, as bleak and depressing as it had been. This was just too much to deal with. What Harry needed was familiarity. Ron and the rest of the Weasleys, an older Dumbledore, the Order. He sighed and resignedly reached for the chicken legs. It was going to be a long summer.

Were there any pros in this situation? He wasn't living with the Dursley's, for one. Voldermort didn't know there was a prophecy. Peter was still innocent. (Even though he would turn in just a couple years, Harry was still looking for the bright side.) His parents were alive. Sirius wasn't in danger or an escaped supposed mass-murderer. Snape wasn't a Professor. Lupin wasn't a shell of a man. He met his grandparents.

Somehow, though, there were still more cons. He couldn't change anything, according to Hermione. He'd have to ask about that later. In and of itself, just sitting by and watching everything play out when he knew what the future held, outweighed any of the pros he could think of. He continued to ponder his situation.

"Nathan."

"..."

"NATHAN!"

"I'm sorry, what?" Harry responded, snapping out of his thoughts and turning to address James.

"I was asking you whether or not you had a girlfriend." James responded, agitated.

"No." he replied automatically.

James seemed satisfied with this response, and continued to stuff his face with chicken.

_**Later, after dinner. Hermione's Room.**_

Hermione's P.O.V.

She gave a sideways glance at the clock. It was two in the morning. Why had Harry felt it neccessary to disturb her sleep? What couldn't wait until morning?

Hermione wiped tiredly at her eyes, raising an eyebrow in Harry's direction.

"What?" she snapped before yawning widely.

"Why can't we change anything while we're here?" he said quickly, wringing his hands and looking around nervously.

She sighed. "It might take a while to explain."

"Might as well do it while no one's up to eavesdrop."

She sighed again. "If you insist." he smiled tiredly. His face was so different. She missed how it looked before they fell into the past. She reached out and traced the scar that no glamour could cover. He shuddered. Hermiones hand fell into her lap. They sat cross legged across from each other that first night in Godric's Hollow. The light from the candle on her bedside table was flickering back and forth, creating shadows on their faces.

"We might create a paradox."

"A what?" Harry asked, his eyebrows furrowing together.

"Well, er... okay." She sighed yet again. "If we change things, like, say we stopped Pettigrew from ever betraying your parents, or we find a way to kill Voldemort before he finds out about the prophecy. Or even, if we tell Sirius what happens and stop him from ever going to Azkaban. If we do anything, even incredibly small, we would be changing the future."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Not exactly. By changing the future we might get rid of the reason we came back in the first place."

Harry stared at her. "I don't follow."

Hermione stopped for a second. "Err... remember third year?" he nodded. "We went back in time and saved two innocent lives, but what we did didn't change the past events drastically enough that we defeated the purpose for going back in the first place. If we change the future so much that we never go to the Department of Mysteries and fall through time, we get rid of the reason we go back."

He still stared at her, but with slightly more understanding. "But if we defeat the purpose, what happens then?"

"I'm not exactly sure. I _think_ that in defeating the purpose we kind of unravel time. In unravelling time we ruin the fabrication of time and space itself. This could lead us to an alternate universe, or destroy our universe without leading us to somewhere else. We destroy everything. It's called a paradox. But, like I said, I'm not exactly sure. To my knowledge, nobody has ever gone this far back in time. It's never happened before."

Harry had started rubbing his temples. "So we can't change anything?" he said, defeated.

"No, we have to try and draw the attention away from ourselves. Stay out of trouble. I'm not sure, exactly, how you're supposed to do that. I mean, trouble is constantly finding you, but we have to try."

Harry returned to his room. The pressures of their situation were pressing down on them, and they had no where to turn. Neither of them slept that night.

James' P.O.V.

He returned to his room after dinner. When he was sure his parents were asleep, he took out his mirror for the second time that day.

"Show me your other." he said to the mirror. Sirius' curious face appeared.

"Hey mate." He greeted. "What'd you find out?"

"Well, they're definitely not dark." he said.

"Are you sure?" Sirius asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Positive. But something about them seems off. I bet when you and Remus come over later this summer we can figure them out. I mean, we found out Remus' secret. It took us a while, but now we have Remus helping us..."

"We can crack them. Peter can sneak around for us. He's small enough for it." His best mate winked.

"Padfoot, my good man. I believe this will be, as they say, 'a piece of cake'. " he smirked.

"What else did you find out about your dear guests, Prongsie?"

"The girl, Katherine, is a muggleborn and her birthday is in September." he smiled.

"What about the other dude?" Sirius asked, using a muggle term he had read in a comic book. He had read it to infuriate his parents.

"His birthday is at the end of July. He's a half-blood. His parents died because of Death Eaters a week or two before the attack on the school. I stopped questioning them after that. Remus can help us get more valuable information out of them later."

"Hey, what are Marauders for?" Sirius replied, grinning.

I'm ready to sleep til noon. My stomach is full, my bladder empty, my heart content!" James said dramatically, changing the subject at Padfoots' rehetorical question.

Sirius snorted. "Night, mate."

"Night." James replied shortly before clearing the mirror and climbing into the soft, warmness of his bed to sleep. Nothing could trouble him tonight.

(Reviews would be very welcomed. I'd love to hear any and all of your thoughts, if you're willing to share. xD Virtual hugs to all that do... unless of course you have a weird phobia of hugs. In which case, vitual cookies all around! ) ~ It's a Marauder Thing


	6. Retaking the OWLs

Author's Note: Thanks to all who reviewed, added me to any of their favorites lists, or subscribed. You know who you are. ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, that right goes to J.K. Rowling.

Recap of Chapter 5:

_Harry had started rubbing his temples. "So we can't change anything?" he said, defeated._

_"No, we have to try and draw the attention away from ourselves. Stay out of trouble. I'm not sure, exactly, how you're supposed to do that. I mean, trouble is constantly finding you, but we have to try." _

_Harry returned to his room. The pressures of their situation were pressing down on them, and they had no where to turn. Neither of them slept that night._

Chapter 6: Retaking the O.W.L.s

Hermione's P.O.V.

Living with James was... difficult, to say the least. In the week following what Harry and Hermione had come to call 'The Interrogation' they had begun studying for the O.W.L.s with James, using his notes. As it turned out, the curriculum hadn't changed much in 20 years. She was attempting to re-learn what she knew she had gotten right during the O.W.L.s in the 90's, while piling in additional information that she knew she had forgotten the first time around.

While it hadn't changed much, it still had it's differences. Because of the small advances that had occured in the wizarding world between now and then, she found James' notes had information missing. Spells and potions that had not yet been invented. For example, the Wolfsbane Potion, which was just a delusional theory in 1976. Hermione was relieved she didn't have to remember everything from the years to come.

At the same time, she wasn't sure how she was supposed to keep the two times seperate. What if, while answering a question, she casually mentioned something that wasn't going to happen for another ten years? Either an official that was testing her would think she was off her rocker and she'd be sent to St. Mungo's, or it'd be marked as wrong. She didn't think she'd be able to handle either of the two options.

But she was getting ahead of herself. James himself was impossibly difficult. He was as stubborn as she was, and while studying had taken to calling her Kat. Besides the original mortification, the name had reminded her of Crookshanks, which made her think of everyone in the future she might not ever see again.

Holding a serious conversation with James was also a challenge, and it rarely ever happened. He always had some witty remark that, in all reality, scared her. This boy, prankster, _Marauder_, was living in war. Sure, everyone needed a laugh, but it was as though in avoiding it, he thought it was going to go away.

Harry had a hard time coming to terms with his inability to change the future, and he wasn't exactly skilled at voicing his concerns. Since he found out he wouldn't be able to do anything to change the past to recreate the future, Harry had become withdrawn. For the first time he was fully immersing himself in his studies. Under any other circumstances, Hermione would have greatly appreciated this. However, Hermione worried for his well-being. She worried about _everthing._

If I eat this piece toast, will I starve a child in Africa that would've become a Minister of Magic for Zimbabwe?

What if, by buying her books, she inadvertanely took away another child's learning material?

Would she change the grading curve at Hogwarts, making it more difficult for students to recieve the right grade, which in turn ruins their futures?

Will my presense in the past create a time paradox?

She was always worrying about what being in the past would do to change the futures of those she loved, of those she had heard of in reference, of those she had never met. She was fearful. She didn't want to admit it. Hermione wanted to be the strong-willed person you could count on to make everything better. The shoulder you would always have to cry on when it got to be too much.

Harry had been through enough in his short life. He shouldn't have to deal with this. He didn't deserve it; he was too good a person. Why did someone so deserving of love and normalcy get dealt the hand of cards he did? Everything happens to Harry. She was pulled out of her reviere when Harry started to whisper to her in Greek from the seat next to her at the dining room table. James had been quizzing Harry, albeit reluctantly, in History of Magic. Harry's father had left to help his mother with lunch in the kitchen.

It also immensly worried her that James' face was constantly set in a glare when he talked to Harry, but he was constantly smiling at her. He was Harry's _father_ for Merlin's sake! He was being an 'insolent toe rag' as Harry had so eloquently put it during one of their nightly chats.

They had taken to speaking to each other in Greek, even in the dead of night, whenever they talked of the future. This was because James, while stumbling back to his room from the kitchen one night, had overheard them discussing one Ronald Weasley. Luckily, he hadn't heard the last name, but it had opened up a whole new door of questions. Questions they didn't particularly want to answer. They also had taken to signing at each other across the table when James was in the room and there was no way the two of them could leave to discuss it.

Like today, for example. It would look suspicious if they both left in the middle of studying for O.W.L.s, especially if James was the one who didn't really need to be there. Merlin knows he was already suspicous. So right now they were whispering about the O.W.L.s from _their_ time. Maybe always talking in Greek wasn't such a good idea either, but it was better than the possibility of James finding out something he shouldn't know.

James returned from the kitchen, bearing a plate of sandwiches that he placed just out of Harry's reach. Hermione sighed, before moving their lunch to the middle of the table, where everyone could reach it. She took James' Transfiguration notes and started to read.

James' P.O.V.

Was this girl blind, or just uninterested? _Blind_. James decided arrogantly. _Because no one is uninterested in me._ For the past week in which the Potter's had been living in the company of the exchange students, not once had this girl shown any interest. He had, in his opinion, been a perfect gentleman. At least to her. He smiled his famous Potter grin at her constantly. He had passed her the small bowl of peas once at dinner before Ned had been able to. He tried to make small talk, and pretended to listen when she was talking about school and her family. He had even helped her study for the O.W.L.s! (which was partly influenced by his parents and their part in deciding if he was allowed to have company, but still!) No matter what he did, the girl wouldn't look at him.

Sirius had more experience. He would ask him what to do, but that would be degrading. He could get her to acknowledge him all on his own. Even Evans acknowledged his presence, though it wasn't to swoon. It wasn't as though he _liked _this new girl. She was just new meat. A toy to play with until the summer ended and he could continue to woo his wonderful Lily flower. But _still_. She wouldn't budge! It was like she was a door_ Alohamora _couldn't open, no matter how many times he tried. _He'd just have to find the right spell_. he decided. Never had any girl ever avoided him, unless they were in Slytherin, in which the feeling was mutual. Everybody else loved him! Why was she trying to deter him? She didn't seem like the kind of person to be placed in Slytherin. If she turned out to be one, he would give up. But until that day came, he was determined.

In the time it had taken him to come to the decision that Katherine would acknowledge his presence, whether she liked him or not, the two Greek teens had begun to gather the notes so they could move them to the living room while they ate.

Katherine was carrying a large pile of neatly stacked notes towards the living room, where she was going to continue studying after lunch. He took half of the tottering pile and helped her take them to the room. He mentally added another good deed to the list, and smiled at her when she looked up from setting them down on the coffee table. She pointedly glared at him.

Throughout their day nobody really talked often. They didn't on any other day either. When someone did it was usually Katherine. Occasionally she mentioned her family and once or twice she had mentioned a friend that had died during the attack. Ronald, was it? Stupid name if you asked him, but he had died, so James felt a twinge of remorse for the boy he had never met. The war had barely started and Voldermort had rarely attacked, but when he did so many innocent people died. He hoped it would end soon. He knew it wouldn't. That's why he was determined to spend the last of his years at Hogwarts with as little trepidation and responsibility as possible. He needed to enjoy his youth while he had it.

Noah rarely talked, unless he was answering a question or whispering to Katherine. When James had asked Katherine why he was so distant, she had hurriedly replied he wasn't usually like that. It was just how he dealt with grief. James wondered distantly if anyone he'd been close to had ever died. No one. His grandparents had died before he was born, and his parents were the oldest of their siblings. None of his friends and family had died of natural causes, let alone war.

If he ever were to experience grief, how would he deal with it? _Not well_.

He decided to be nicer to Nathan.

Harry's P.O.V.

Harry reread the passage about Wendelin the Weird until he stopped reading altogether. He stared blankly at the page, not absorbing any information. It was becoming harder and harder to concentrate as the week wore on. He was taking his O.W.L.s for the second time the next day. If he had found the first time stressful and exhausting, it was nothing compared to this. This was torture. He could do nothing, _nothing_ to help his situation. Instead of looking for a solution, he was doing something as normal as studying. _Studying! _Harry found himself constantly thinking. He could only hold a conversation with Hermione, and he could only do so when it was about their situation. They should be looking for a way home, so he could escape the guilt that had engulfed him when he had begun to understand the severity of the situation. They shouldn't be studying for an exam they had already taken. He was manipulating time. He didn't understand how time was supposed to work.

Was this all supposed to happen? Were they _supposed_ to go back in time? Or by arriving back in time had Harry and Hermione already recreated their future? Would they find a way home? Or could time manipulation only work in reverse? He gathered the notes they were studying and piled them robotically so Hermione could move them.

This was so messed up.

Griselda Marchbank's P.O.V. (Govenor of Wizarding Examinations Authority)

In all her years as a Wizarding Examinations Authority Griselda had never presided over the examinations of _exchange students._ She hadn't known that there even _was _an exachange program. She had also never examined students during the summer holidays. It was unheard of. If it hadn't been Dumbledore's request, she probably would've said no.

Either way, she was in the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry, where the long house tables had been replaced with two singular desks. She had never seen the room so _empty. _It was disconcerting.

At the moment, the two students were taking the written portion of Transfiguration. The girl was writing quickly, her eyebrow furrowed together as she scowled at the paper, concentrating. The boy was looking at his paper with a similar expression, his quill poised to answer a question.

The two students were going to have one less week than the other students had been given, because it would take so much less time to test two students as opposed to fifty. But they needed their breaks. One could only handle so much strain at a time.

**One Week Later. Last test, Defense Against the Dark Arts Practical. **

They were _brilliant._ Absolutely _brilliant._ Out of everyone in attendance of Hogwarts that year that she had tested for the O.W.L.s, no one was more advanced in Defense Against the Dark Arts than these two students. She had asked the boy, who she know knew was Nathan, to face a boggart. She was too near, and when it turned into a dementor he had produced a corpeal Patronus on the spot! When the girl had been called in for her practical, she was curious.

Griselda asked very politely if she could do a Patronus like her friend. She had been even more thrilled when her otter charged around the room. Absolutely amazing! The fact they were well versed in the rest of the subject's contents pleased her even more. They had both recieved Outstandings, and she wished she had been able to mark them higher.

They hadn't been too dimwitted in the other subjects either, except maybe the Spiropoulos boy in Divination. She wasn't to concerned about him receiving a Poor in that _particular _subject. Griselda decided after they had left that they should have exchange programs more often.

**Defense Against the Dark Arts Exam: Hermione's P.O.V. **

Hermione had felt she had done horribly on this particular exam when she had first completed it in 1996. She knew it was her worst subject. Even with the less challenging curriculim and the added boost of the Patronus she found herself conjouring in 1976, she felt sure that she had failed. Harry's teaching in Dumbledore's Army was the only thing that could possibly stop her from doing so.

**Astronomy Exam: Harry's P.O.V. **

Without the distraction he had been provided with the first time he took the Astronomy Exam, Harry felt more relaxed and had found it easier to concentrate on his chart. Harry was sure that he had done better the second time around when Hagrid wasn't fighting off Ministry officials and McGonagall wasn't being stunned in the chest. In fact, it was the only subject he believed he had done better in the second time.

**One Week Later: James' P.O.V.**

James had been very proud when he recieved his O.W.L. results the first week of July. He had been quizzing Katherine in Arithmancy (he had to get the notes owled to him by Moony.) when the letter containing his results had arrived. He hadn't been worried. He knew he was going to do well. He hadn't been disappointed.

James had detached the envelope from the owl's leg. He slit it open quickly and unfolded the parchment inside.

_Ordinary Wizarding Level Results_

_Pass Grades:_

_Outstanding (O)_

_Exceeds Expectations (E)_

_Acceptable (A)_

_Fail Grades:_

_Poor (P)_

_Dreadful (D)_

_Troll (T)_

_James Galahad Potter has achieved:_

_Astronomy: E_

_Care of Magical Creatures: E_

_Charms: O_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts: O_

_Divination: P_

_Herbology: E_

_History of Magic: A_

_Potions: E_

_Transfiguration: O_

His parents had ripped the letter out of his hand to read it not two seconds after he had read his final grade in Transfiguration. 8 O.W.L.s out of 9, three of which were Outstandings. He had tried to purposely fail Divination so he would not be roped in to taking it again. His parents didn't seem to upset about it either.

When Nathan and Katherine had received their own O.W.L.s results from two different barn owls, he had been surprised. He hadn't expected Nathan to do as well as he did, and nothing could prepare him for Katherine's results. His parents were ecstatic when they saw her letter.

Katherine had been bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet when the owls arrived. "I know I've messed up Ancient Runes." she muttered feverishly. "I definitely made at least one serious mistranslation. And the Defense Against the Dark Arts practical was no good at all. I thought Transfiguration went all right but when I look back..."

"Katherine, will you just shut up? I'm nervous too." Nathan had said in a voice that, surprisingly, wasn't harsh. "You'll do great."

"No! I know I've just failed everything!" she despaired. Dramatic much? From what he'd seen of her studying, that was impossible. Nathan opened his letter first. You could tell he was nervous when you looked at his face. He leaned to look over his shoulder.

_Ordinary Wizarding Level Results_

_Pass Grades:_

_Outstanding (O)_

_Exceeds Expectations (E)_

_Acceptable (A)_

_Fail Grades:_

_Poor (P)_

_Dreadful (D)_

_Troll (T)_

_Nathan George Spiropoulos has achieved:_

_Astronomy: E_

_Care of Magical Creatures: E_

_Charms: E_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts: O_

_Divination: P_

_Herbology: E_

_History of Magic: P_

_Potions: E_

_Transfiguration: E_

"Not bad at all!" James declared lightly, clapping him on the back.

Nathan grinned back and replied, "Thanks."

James stood up to sit on the other side of Katherine and both boys looked over her shoulder as she opened her letter. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened in surprise. She squeaked. Nathan, however, looked unsurprised.

_Ordinary Wizarding Level Results_

_Pass Grades:_

_Outstanding (O)_

_Exceeds Expectations (E)_

_Acceptable (A)_

_Fail Grades:_

_Poor (P)_

_Dreadful (D)_

_Troll (T)_

_Katherine Marie Puckle has achieved:_

_Astronomy: O _

_Care of Magical Creatures: O_

_Charms: O_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts: O_

_Arithmancy: O_

_Study of Ancient Runes: O_

_Herbology: O_

_History of Magic: O_

_Potions: O_

_Transfiguration: O_

"Oh yes, Katherine. You've failed absolutely _everything_." Nathan remarked sarcastically, grinning.

She swatted him on the arm. "Your not disappointed, are you?" he continued.

James was in awe. Not even Remus was going to do this well! His parents were congratulating them.

His mother turned to address him. "Thank you for helping them study." she said.

He quirked an eyebrow that clearly said, "_And?"_

"When did you want Remus to come over?" she questioned. He grinned.

**That's the end of Chapter 6! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. I would really appreciate that, if you bothered to take the time to read this, you take the time to review this chapter too. Even if it is to criticize. It would still make my day. **

**One last thing before I go. Only three people have participated in my poll, so if you don't feel like going to my profile to do so, leave your answer in a review. I don't know if you even know what the poll is about, so I'll let you figure it out anyways. I'm evil like that. **


	7. A Wholly Unnecessary Tailspin of Despair

Author's Note: Thanks to all who reviewed! This chapter is going to be very short. Sorry about that, but the next one will be longer, I promise! Anyways, on with the show!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter! Stop rubbing salt in the wound!

Recap of Chapter 6:

_"Oh yes, Katherine. You've failed absolutely everything." Nathan remarked sarcastically, grinning. _

_She swatted him on the arm. "Your not disappointed, are you?" he continued. _

_James was in awe. Not even Remus was going to do this well! His parents were congratulating them. _

_His mother turned to address him. "Thank you for helping them study." she said._

_He quirked an eyebrow that clearly said, "And?"_

_"When did you want Remus to come over?" she questioned. He grinned._

**Chapter 7: Mr. Lupin's Wholly Unnecessary Tailspin of Despair**

Remus' P.O.V.

The letter had been decent sized. It was addressed to him (Obviously, or else he wouldn't have read it.) and it was from James. Not that it was hard to tell. James had very distinct penmanship. It wasn't chicken scratch, but it wasn't neat and even either. It was scrawled in a way only James could manage. But the handwriting wasn't important.

He would've said yes immediately, if it hadn't been for his _furry little problem. _Not that he didn't trust the Potter family. Far from it. They were his second family. It was the fact that they had _guests. _ Why the hell would James invite him when they had _guests?_ If he chose to come, there would be a full moon during his stay. And the guests would be there. It was just a headstart to finding out for them. Prongs could be so dense sometimes.

He put his head in his hands, the messily scrawled letter from James beside him on the worn kitchen table of his small home. His mother walked in with a freshly laundered and folded basket of clothing, humming. Remus sighed and looked up at his mum.

"Your clothes." his mum said, setting the basket on the table. "Fresh and clean. You owe me one. We decided you would start doing your own laundry."

"Thanks." he mumbled, rereading the letter.

"What's wrong?" his mother asked, sitting down across from him. Remus passed her the letter.

_Moony!_

_My dear friend; I have a propostion for you! I would be __**honored **__if you came to stay at my house later this week. Afterwards you could stay until a week or two before school starts, so you can be with your family and whatnot. _

_Don't worry about the guest. They stay mostly to themselves. Oh! The guests! Remember those teenagers we saw in Diagon Alley that Sirius was all worked up about? Of course you do, you're Remus. Anyways, it turns out they were exchange students from Greece that are going to be staying with me for the summer. Nobody went to Greece from Hogwarts though. It's a long story. I'll tell you later. _

_I've already asked my parents, you just need to ask yours. You can owl me your answer. Tell your mum I say hello!_

_Your fellow Marauder,_

_Prongs_

She looked up at him from across the table. "I don't see what the problem is, dear. You love seeing your friends. You went with them to Diagon Alley not two weeks ago!"

"Mum. They're having _guests_ this summer. They'll find out about my lecanthropy if I go." Remus said, obviously distressed.

"If you really don't want them to know, just come home the days where it gets to be really bad. You can tell them I'm sick and you need to help me or something. This doesn't have to stop you from seeing your friends. They know, and they don't think any less of you."

"I know they don't think any less of me, Mum. But what if the new students figure it out anyways, later in the year?" he sighed.

"If they find out and don't like you anymore because of it, they're not the type of people you want to be associated with anyways." his mum said reassuringly. Remus opened his mouth to speak. His mum cut him off. "And I'm sure if they find out Professor Dumbledore won't let them tell anyone else. Especially after the whole debacle that just happened."

"So what are we going to do this summer?" Remus questioned, giving up.

"You're going to the Potters. I expect lots of letters and I want you to come back and stay home for at least a little while before you leave for the year." his mum answered, finality ringing in her voice.

"Mum." he said quietly.

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

She patted his hand lightly from across the table and handed him back his letter. "Go and write him back then." Remus stood and turned to go find some parchment. "Put your clothes away first." his mum added.

Grinning, Remus replied, "Yes, mum."

If you could find it in your hearts (and in your very busy lives, I'm sure) to review this particular chapter, I would be forever grateful. Please, if you do, try to think of some constructive critism, comments, questions, concerns, etc... kay? Thanks.


	8. Late Night Introductions

Author's Note: So, ummm... I know some of the characterization in this chapter might be messed up, but that's kinda for a reason. I guess. Ok... anyways...

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Unfortunetly.

Recap of Chapter 7:

_"So what are we going to do this summer?" Remus questioned, giving up. _

_"You're going to the Potters. I expect lots of letters and I want you to come back and stay home for at least a little while before you leave for the year." his mum answered, finality ringing in her voice._

_"Mum." he said quietly._

_"Yes?"_

_"Thanks." _

_She patted his hand lightly from across the table and handed him back his letter. "Go and write him back then." Remus stood and turned to go find some parchment. "Put your clothes away first." his mum added. _

_Grinning, Remus replied, "Yes, mum."_

Chapter 8: Late Night Introductions

Hermione's P.O.V.

James, the git, does not like to inform his house mates that he has another guest to be living at his house. Leaving people like me totally left in the dark. For example; it was around midnight, and I had recently developed an acute 'case' of insomnia. The circumstances from which the insomnia had come were completely understandable. Seeing as she had been thrust back in time in the middle of a battle, of which she had been unconcious, to before she was born. She didn't want to know what Harry's sleeping patterns were like. But that was besides the point. During a bout of insomnia Hermione had decided to come downstairs and venture to the refridgerator in search of a midnight snack.

Normally she wouldn't do this, but she was hoping the chocolate ice cream that was stocked in the freezer would help to improve her mood and help her to scrape up a couple hours sleep. She heard creaking on the stairs. Hermione thought it to be Harry, as he was the one most likely to be up at this hour. She was removed the cartridge of frozen goodness and swung the freezer closed. Expecting Harry's troubled face, her mouth dropped open and she gaped in what was a very good imatation of a fish when she found herself standing face-to-face with a much younger Remus Lupin. He still had bags under his eyes, and scars on his face. But still younger; less disturbed.

Damn James and his inability to alert her to his fellow Marauders presence.

Her former Professor opened his mouth in an attempt to speak, before Hermione intervened. "Who the hell are you?" she asked rudely. _Since when do I talk like that? _she thought to herself, surprised. She knew she wasn't supposed to be Hermione here, but since when did she address people like that? Even if she wasn't supposed to act like herself. Professor Lupin was someone she respected, not that she was supposed to know him.

_I blame lack of sleep._ she thought bitterly as Remus raised his eyebrows in surprise and attempted to talk without being interrupted.

"I didn't think anyone else would be up." he mused softly before raising his voice to address her. "James didn't tell you he was expecting me?"

"Obviously." she spat back grouchily, reaching behind him for the cabinet containing the bowls. She began to scoop her ice cream. Snapping the lid in place she turned and sighed. Holding the container of ice cream at her side she added, "Sorry." she stated, though she didn't really sound it. " I'm so tired. I'm afraid I'm a bit... "

"Petulant?" he provided, smirking slightly.

"Precisely." Hermione answered, moving to replace the chocolate ice cream in the freezer.

"Don't put that away." he said. "I'm horrified that you didn't offer some to the stranger you so cruely snapped at. " he added, dramatically gesturing his hands for added affect.

"I'm so sorry to have deprived you of your chocolate ice cream," she continued, without the humor he had used.

He laughed anyways. "I'm Remus Lupin." he said, introducing himself. "I'm one of James' friends. I arrived shortly after dinner." _When I was holed up in my room reading._ Hermione thought.

"I thought you were a robber." she said with a straight face. Hermione shook his hand and started to eat.

"You didn't tell me your name." he said with a frown. "How rude."

"Katherine." she replied shortly. "Why are you up so late?"

"Couldn't sleep." Remus answered. It looked it too.

She nodded sympathetically, finishing her much smaller portion of ice cream first. Hermione put it in the sink where it was immediately washed by a bewitched sponge. "I'm off to bed." she stated tiredly. "Nice meeting you." she added, slightly more personable. She had already met him, anyways. It was nicer meeting him this way, but at the same time, worse. Besides, if she wasn't pleasant towards him, maybe he would be deterred. Not that this method was working particularly well on James. Remus was more likely to take a hint. She hoped.

"Wait!" he called as she turned to leave. Apparently not. "You never told me why you were up."

"Why do you think?" she spat.

"You couldn't sleep?" he guessed, looking slightly taken aback.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

She started up the stairs and left a confused and bemused Remus Lupin staring after her retreating figure.

Hermione was berating herself for her rude behavior. She had totally snubbed Remus Lupin. The werewolf who was insecure around strangers and wanted so badly to be accepted. And she had totally blown him off. She resolved to be nicer to him tomorrow.

She was interrupted in her thoughts of ways to be nice to Remus when she heard a strangled moan that sounded strangley like a yell. Then, "No! NO! Take me! I'm the one you want!"

Harry. She opened the door to his room and closed it softly behind her. If Harry's yelling didn't wake everyone up, a slammed door wouldn't help.

Her best friend's sheets were tangled around him. His hair and his shirt were soaked with sweat. There was a sheen of sweat on his face, and his face was pale and contorted in what she guessed was pain. His jaw was visibly clenched. His scar stood out, angry and red, on his forehead. She walked out to the bathroom across the hall and wet a face cloth.

Returning to the room, she closed the door again. Hermione sat down gracefully on the bed, and put the cold cloth on Harry's hot, sweaty forehead. She was trying to be calm and collected, but this was terrifying. Her hand shook as she flipped the cloth over.

_This wasn't supposed to happen_, she thought, as Harry screamed something about 'friends' and 'Sirius'. _The dreams were supposed to stop. Voldermort wasn't supposed to know they were there. _

At least, she suspected Voldermort. _Maybe he doesn't really know. _Hermione hoped. _Maybe he's really mad about something and that, added with Harry's stress, resulted in a nightmare._

She wiped his sweaty face again. It really was quite disgusting. Occlumency. Harry was going to have to learn it despite the fact Voldermort didn't know about the connection. It wouldn't do well for him to find out, would it? They'd have to talk to Dumbledore about it.

She ran a shaky hand through her now silky hand. She looked down and examined Harry's face more closely. He looked horrible, and she noticed his face was taking on a greenish twinge.

_I really should wake him up._ Hermione thought. _Maybe Voldermort already knows... _

With that incentive she roughly shook Harry's tightened shoulders. His eyes snapped open, and she was surprised to find the startingly emerald green ones he had possessed before 'Nathan' looking back at her, distressed. _That's not a good sign._

Harry rolled over and promptly vomited off the side of the bed. Disgusted, Hermione jumped up. He rolled back towards her, eyes brown again, wiping his mouth in a mixture of disgust and relief. The nightmare was over, and he was sick all over everything.

Pushing back thoughts of rotten teeth and acid breath, Hermione sat back down next to Harry, who was now crying. It was going to be a long, sleepless night.

Remus' P.O.V.

_What a strange encounter. _One Remus Lupin thought wearily as he ate the remainder of his chocolate ice cream. He didn't know what he thought his first meeting with the exchange students would be, but it certainly wasn't that. He had yet to meet the other Greek. What was his name? Neil? Nelson? James had messed up his name before getting it right... What was it? Nathan. He knew it started with an n.

Either way, Katherine didn't seem like the nicest person. Maybe it was from insomnia, or maybe that was just how she was. Or maybe she already knew. Was it possible to know someone was a werewolf from one encounter? He sighed. Even the way she had said "Nice meeting you." She had acted like she didn't mean it all. She probably hadn't.

_Maybe coming to stay with James wasn't such a good idea_. he thought as he started up the dimly lit staircase towards his guest room. He was almost at the end of the hallway when he heard the distinct sound of gagging, as though someone were throwing up.

Feeling like he was intruding on something, he hesitantly opened the door. Slowly and stealthily, so as not to alert the occupant to his presence.

Scratch that. Occupants. Plural.

Inside the room was Katherine, soothing a boy he had not yet met. The second exchange student. Man, did he look like crap.

There was a pile of sick next to the bed on the side nearest to Nathan. Katherine was saying soothing words to the obviously distraught boy as she rubbed small circles into his back. He gave out a strangled yell and lapsed into a fit of hysterically, dry, heaving sobs.

The sight hurt his eyes. It reminded him too much of the hurt he felt sometimes, after transformations. He was cursed with Lycanthropy. What was this adolescent cursed with?

_It can't be much worse_. he thought bitterly. He closed the door quietly and returned to his bedroom down the hall.

He slept relatively well.

Ta Da! Chapter 8! I'm so happy!

Ok, so... I have this poll... on my profile... and I know a lot of people were voting for the three main Marauders, but I was kinda toying with the idea of Peter too... A lot of writers leave him out, but he was important. So I was just wondering if you'd let me know what you think. Thanks.

Many thanks to those who reviewed. I'm now over 100! So if you could further raise that number with your input, it would be greatly appreciated! xD


	9. Blast from the Future

Author's Note: Hermione was out of character in the last chapter, but I'm going on the fact she's trying to be someone else. This chapter she's gonna be more herself. Kinda.

In regards to my poll: Despite the fact Sirius was the most favorited choice, Remus has somehow taken the lead. xD I think this has something to do with his role in the last few chapters, but I'm just guessing. In second place is Sirius (surprise, surprise). And James and Snape are tied for third (bigger surprise).

I'm thinking of having Snape, being the creeper we all know he is, have some kind of unhealthy obsession with Hermione. You know, heap some stalker in the pot too. Also, seeing as not many people like Peter, but I want to include him as much as possible, I have a comprimise. xD Yay! The Marauder's are going to be suspicious of our favorite time travellers, but I'm probably going to make Peter even more so. But he won't like them. He's a follower though, so he can't really voice his opinion.

I don't know. I'm playing with it. It'd be helpful if you let me know what you think. Thanks. xD

I've rambled much more than I thought I was going too. Are you still reading this? Really? There's a whole chapter left for you to read! Get to it! xD

Disclaimer: How many times do I have to tell you? I don't own Harry Potter!

Chapter 8 Recap:

_Inside the room was Katherine, soothing a boy he had not yet met. The second exchange student. Man, did he look like crap. _

_There was a pile of sick next to the bed on the side nearest to Nathan. Katherine was saying soothing words to the obviously distraught boy as she rubbed small circles into his back. He gave out a strangled yell and lapsed into a fit of hysterical, dry, heaving sobs. _

_The sight hurt his eyes. It reminded him too much of the hurt he felt sometimes, after transformations. He was cursed with Lycanthropy. What was this adolescent cursed with?_

_It can't be much worse. he thought bitterly. He closed the door quietly and returned to his bedroom down the hall. _

_He slept relatively well._

**Chapter 9 Blast from the Future**

Harry's P.O.V.

I couldn't really remember what had been so horrible about my nightmare. Something involving Voldermort. But the thing was, unlike his previous dreams, it didn't seem like... how could he put it? It was hard to understand.

It obviously hadn't happened, like the vision-like nightmares he usually had. He wasn't reliving anything either. It was like his worst fears coming true. Hermione had told him his scar had stood out, an angry reminder on his forehead. But Voldermort couldn't possibly know he was here, or who he was.

Could he?

His head hurt thinking about it. Still, as much as it pained him to admit it, Hermione was right. He was going to have to learn Occlumency before someone figured out their past.

Thankfully, he wasn't going to be alone in learning. He had triumphantly pointed out to her that she had just as many memories of things people shouldn't know, so she should have to learn too.

She didn't seem happy, but she had grudgingly obliged. And so, Hermione had written a very short and vague letter to the Headmaster requesting a meeting in which to discuss their 'situation.' After all, anything could be intercepted, especially in the dark times that were sure to get worse.

This had all happened around five in the morning, when everyone else was sleeping.

He was surprised that they could sleep so soundly, what with all the noise he had been making.

Now he was sitting at the dining room table for breakfast. He was showered and he had brushed his teeth, and was pretending it was a regular breakfast, like that of the Weasleys. Hopefully nobody would think anything was off about him. When Hermione hadn't been in the room, he had discreetly called a house elf up to get rid of the vomit.

The breakfast table was a very odd scene. There were his grandparents sitting next to each other, looking extremely old and out of place amongst the teenagers. Then there was Remus Lupin, who he was pretending to look at with a puzzled expression. When had his old professor arrived, anyway? Remus was staring back at him, looking confused. Maybe he should stop staring so intently.

Hermione gently nudged his ribcage from where she sat beside him. She was obviously concerned after what had happened the night before, but it was starting to become rather annoying.

If James saw any of the strange looks that were being passed at the breakfast table, he didn't show it. He was shoveling food into his mouth, and was making no attempt to talk. He was like a conveyor belt; a continuous flow of food.

A phoenix, large and magestic, was suddenly sweeping gracefully into the cozy dining area, seemingly out of nowhere. Harry recognized him as Fawkes. Dumbledore hadn't wasted anytime in answering them.

James looked up blearily from his plate, fork poised to enter his mouth. When he saw the bird he raised his eyebrows and his runny egg dripped in a sloppy pile on his plate. He looked like he was about to say something, but Remus beat him to it.

"Is that a phoenix?" the teen asked with surprise.

"Yes." Hermione answered simply. Harry swiveled his head to look at Hermione. She looked slightly surprised too. Had she ever seen Fawkes? He couldn't remember. The bird came a landed on Harry's shoulder, and nipped his finger affectionately when he went to stroke the brightly colored feathers.

James raised his eyebrows so high they disappeared into his unruly hair.

"Do you know that phoenix?" Remus perked up beside him.

"Fawkes belongs to Dumbledore. He was in the office when Katherine and I were having a meeting." he answered simply, shrugging his shoulders. Fawkes squawked indignantly and flew to where Hermione was sitting, sticking out his leg which had a bright red envelope tied to it. Harry hadn't noticed it until then.

"Oof!" Harry rasped out when Hermione nudged him particularly hard. "What was that for?"

James laughed and Remus looked at Harry with an increasingly confused expression. "Is that a Howler?" he asked, nodding his head in the direction of the phoenix.

Hermione looked at Harry grimly, now holding the letter. "May we be excused?" She asked Mr. and Mrs. Potter, who Harry hadn't really noticed since the arrival of Fawkes. They looked equally confused.

Harry's Grandfather nodded his head dumbly, and everyone at the table stared at them as they walked up the stairs.

Hermione's P.O.V.

I led Harry to his room, the one furthest from the kitchen. Ron's untidy scrawl was on the face of the envelope that she was clamping shut until they could ascend the staircase, out of hearing range. How had Ron contacted them? That was impossible. Impossible.

But then again, she had time-traveled 20 years, so maybe it was totally plausable. Maybe.

They made it to the room, the envelope trying to break open and unleash its fury. She slammed the door, and Harry began asking questions.

"Why did Dumbledore send us a Howler?"

"Nathan..."

"Did we do something wrong?"

"Nathan!" she said, raising her voice an octave.

"Do you think everyone's suspicious? Well they must be.. I mean, they already were, right?"

"Harry!" She yelled as quietly as possible. It was the first time she had used his name in a month. It didn't feel right to say it. She scrutinized his appearance. He wasn't the same Harry.

He turned and looked at her. "What?"

"The Howler's not from Dumbledore."

"How do you know that? Does it sa..."

"Harry!" his mouth snapped closed. Hermione continued. "The Howler is from Ron."

"What! That's not possible!" he said, beginning to pace. Hermione stopped him by grabbing his shoulder.

"It's his handwriting. We have to listen to it."

Harry sighed, and Hermione broke the seal on the struggling envelope.

DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNN! That ends that chapter. I know, long wait for a short chapter that doesn't reveal much. But I wanted to get something out, ya know. The next chapter will reveal more, but you'll have to read to find out. I'm still not done with that essay, but I couldn't concentrate on it, so I did this instead. I'm such a bad student.

So yeah. Review, with something interesting. I know it's asking a lot (sarcasm) but please, if you're going to review, try to say something I can go on, instead of 'Update soon!'

I'm suffering from writer's block. Does anyone wanna be my Beta? Those lists are too tedious to go through. Alright, well, I'm done here. Don't forget the poll!


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